photo credit: body media

They call it the “body bugg” hmmm Last March I was “introduced” to this little critter that is known as “the body bugg” by Rebecca, my Nutritionist, when I started my Wellness Makeover.

You might ask, what is this little bug? And what does it do?” Well, it is a small black band that squeezes your upper arm and measures the calories that you expend all day. It measures everything from steps to calories! And to boot, there is a computer program where you input all of your food you eat as accurately as possible and at the end of the day, you can see calories in and just how many calories you burned off… The coolest thing to me was it also measured your resting time, because you wear it alllll the time, except in the shower… so I saw exactly how much sleep I was getting and how many calories I burned resting… Did you know sleeping burned calories? Not that I recommend sleeping all day!

As all little “pests” it was a bit of a nuisance but I have long missed the pesty and accurate device sooo last night I went back online to search for the little annoyance and yes, I ordered a new one so that I can continue with my Wellness Journey with accurate accountability…

On one hand the bane of my existence somehow was a pure delight to see just how well I was doing with my exercising! Ok, I’m ready to start the “itching” Mr. body bugg!

*I’d love to have you join in the journey to healthy living with me for healthy tips and musings from me

photo credit: gymkhana

In the last weeks I have had a few new things enter my life and a few things come back into my life, exercise being in the later of the two. By now you know I have a “love hate” relationship with exercise, I hate going but I love the feeling I get when I’m done. I don’t know if it’s that “ahhhh” I did it feeling, or those little endorphins we hear about and I just have a much better outlook for the day…

In any event last week I had a little “revelation” when I took off my armband to sync it up and check out my “calories burned” for the day. I noticed a few things:

1. When I’m sitting and typing as I am now I might as well be sleeping or not breathing because I would burn the same amount of calories… um that means flat line… none… nil… I was shocked! Now I understand just how easy it was for me to gain weight. Again, I knew if I sat around all day and did nothing other than work it really isn’t good for me but to actually see it with a graph… Wow! I’m a visual person so it really opened my eyes! So, I know I need to get up and move around every hour or so if it’s going to be a long day on the computer. Bring in the bosu ball (yes, I broke down and actually paid money and bought one of these torture apparatus’s for home.) and do some balance exercises every so often, move your blood around. I know you’re thinking well, what do I do if I’m at an office? I can’t very well say “ok bosu time!” Well then get up and take a little walk around your office, if it’s nice outside at lunch break up the day and go for a quick walk…

2. I was also surprised, actually, almost devastated lol to see that when I was weight training with Ryan my calories expended weren’t “huge.” As much as I huff and puff like an old woman I thought for sure I’d be burning huge amounts of calories. I asked Ryan about this and he told me that we are actually working on getting my muscles in “shape” and then he went on to explain how after we build up the muscle mass in my body that will work to my advantage to burn more fat and calories. So in the long run I guess that makes sense…

3. My little trusty arm band also told me an interesting fact. On Friday, we had a little girls’ “kitchen dance party” where we hit the CD player with Season 2 of Glee and we chopped and danced and danced and danced… Something that you can usually see if you look in my window around dinner time. lol I’m thinking of doing a video post on this in the future to scare all of America! Anyhow, when I synched my armband up a day or two later, I forgot about our little “dance party” and I saw my calories burned and was like…. “What was I doing Friday afternoon? My cardio numbers were huge!” Hmmm, o yes, it was my “kitchen dance party!” You can be sure we have implemented this little shinding into our dinner prep a few days a week… So come on…

I invite you to join in the “kitchen” dance party! Send us over your favorite tunes to jump and jiggle to! I promise no judging here!

photo credit: style with anna

My trainer Ryan has been so patient with me! I’m not sure what he makes of this do I dare say it “middle aged” mom who wants a “wellness makeover.” I have worked out with him for just over a week now and he is really trying… He has his little book that he writes down every exercise and the number of repetitions that he “asks” me to do. I usually oblige with a little smile, usually gritting my teeth but knowing that no matter what he is doing this to help me start my journey.

Seriously, I give him props! Taking on someone who really is NOT in any shape, well, wait I take that back, I am in a shape; round… He is the nicest and very caring young man. Knowing that I have high blood pressure he has structured a program with this in mind. But he is a trainer and his job is to get my butt moving towards “wellness” as much as the nutritional component of my program is.

I have committed myself to training with Ryan 3 days a week and doing cardio another 2-3 and to be honest, I feel great when I’m done but I’m just not a “gym girl!” When I first got married after work I would go to what I will call a “deb aerobics studio.” Where the whole front of the “studio” was a “fashionista bevy of the best and most expensive work out clothes” Why not wear it everyone else there was. So we all looked so “pretty” sweating and jumping around.

But the Aerobics studio is a far cry from the gym and hopping around the studio to Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” is much different than attempting to balance and pick up weights and jump over the bosu ball. Does anyone other than my husband really like that thing? A half ball that I practically kill myself on each week, I pray I don’t fall and break my neck.

I keep moving on thinking this is a “life change” you need to get off your butt and exercise on a daily basis. OK, I might not want to lift weights forever maybe I’ll take up some type of dancing but I know, I know, that this is forever, I keep telling myself that but for now it’s one day at a time…

How are all of you doing exercising? What do you do?

If you have a facebook I’d love you to follow my “Wellness Makeover” page, you can ask Rebecca or Ryan any questions that might help you!

I’m dying, well not literally but my little muscles are all quivering I can just picture them like little animated cartoon characters skinny legs, big bodies, just shaking. Well hibernation is over! It’s time to exercise! Time to get this body back in shape. I mean “in” shape… Change the “shape” that I am now….

Going back to the gym was like going “home again.” Everything and everyone was familiar even though I haven’t been there in a long time… literally years… I saw people I haven’t spoken to since my oldest was in high school! (She’s now graduating college!) My daughters’ old trainer was there with friendly open arms! This man trained her to get her little body in tip top shape for a lot of her pageant career. I used to drive her to the gym and wait or jump on the treadmill from time to time. I even worked out with her old trainer for a short time too.

Ryan (my bodies new best friend and trainer) met me there after I did a few minutes, 10 to be exact of cardio on the ever so hateful elliptical. I really really hate cardio! But I remembered the “old days” when I worked out and knew before using your muscles you had to “warm them up.” Well as I hopped on the elliptical my little legs started to ache more and more, I did say I only did this for 10 minutes right? Uhhhh and I did mention how much I hate cardio, right? But I know that exercise is a must that goes along with good nutrition so here I am…

I’m sure Ryan didn’t know what to expect of me, this middle aged woman, who wants to ”get healthy.” He was ever so patient for our first training session. He explained that since I have high blood pressure which began with my first pregnancy which ended with toxemia/pre-eclampia almost 22 years ago we were going to work out using what he called “PHA.” And he explained that PHA is short for peripheral heart action. It is a type of circuit training that alternates upper and lower body exercises throughout the circuit. This type of training is perfect for burning a lot of calories and improving one’s endurance without over working each individual muscle.

After our workout Ryan told me that I should eat a protein and carbohydrate now. I asked “maybe an apple and peanut butter?” he said not too much fat perhaps a turkey sandwich, and I asked “With pieces of bread?” and he almost choked because he misunderstood me and thought I said “pizza!” Pieces… Pizza…. He said he was worried and thought he needed to run and call Rebecca (my bodies other new best friend and nutritionist)and tell her we have a “serious problem” here! I laughed, oh even I know no more pizza.

Well that’s workout number one… looking forward to just how sore I’m going to feel in the morning in time to work on some “cardio.” Did I tell you how much I hate cardio? Well, I am determined to take this all the way and continue on my healthy journey, next up my first meeting with Rebecca… stay tuned…

Please follow our journey weekly and join our facebook fan page with any questions for both Rebecca or Ryan!